Shrubs, 1–2 m tall, old branches grayish white, glabrous; shoots stout; young shoots greenish, with sessile glands or short to long glandular hairs. Petiole 10–20 mm, indument similar to young shoots; leaf blade thinly leathery or papery, oblong-elliptic or obovate to broadly elliptic, 4–8 × 2–4 cm; base rounded, asymmetrical; apex apiculate; both surfaces glabrous; midrib slightly raised abaxially, slightly impressed adaxially; lateral veins 9–13-paired, inconspicuous on both surfaces. Inflorescence racemose-umbellate, 4–7-flowered; rachis 20–40 mm, glabrous. Pedicel 1–2 cm, indument similar to young shoots; calyx usually lobes 5, 2–5 mm, rounded, outer surface and margin with glands; corolla funnelform, narrow at base, pink to rose, 2.5–3.5 cm, lobes 5, suborbicular, ca. 1 cm, apex emarginate; stamens 10, unequal, 1.5–2.5 cm, filaments slightly hairy at base, anthers oblong, ca. 2 mm; ovary cylindric, ca. 4 mm, densely glandular; style ca. 2.5 cm, glabrous and glandular. Capsule cylindric, usually curved, 12–25 × 3–4 mm. Fl. Apr–Jun, fr. Jul–Oct.

Montane coniferous forests, Rhododendron thickets; 2700–4000 m. SW Sichuan, E Xizang, W Yunnan.